Douglas Adams may suffer to a similar condition as Joseph Heller- their first works were so strong, so perfect, so beloved, that all their subsequent efforts were met with disappointment. To follow The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (THGTTG) series with anything nearly as good is almost too much to ask of a writer- especially in something as hit-or-miss as comedy. Alas, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (DGHDA) has a few chuckles, and if I could manage to examine it completely independently of THGTTG, maybe I'd find my way to giving it four stars, but I can't, and if you haven't read THGTTG yet, read that first and don't bother with DGHDA.